Colorado Rapids Form Partnership with Arsenal, Keep Name

By: Bob | February 9th, 2007

After much speculation it was announced today that the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer and Arsenal from the English Premier League have formed a partnership. Despite the Arsenal Colorado rumors that circulated ahead of the announcement, the Rapids will not be changing their name, just their crest and their colors. Arsenal will not be getting a new billionaire owner, just a sliver of the American soccer pie.

The basic gist of the agreement:

The deal with Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE), owners of Colorado, was made with the main aim of building Arsenal’s brand in the U.S., helping to improve the quality of football at the Rapids and supporting grassroots soccer in North America.

It will also include the development of a Centre of Excellence in Colorado, the transfer of coaching ideas and the launch of the Arsenal Cup, a club tournament open to teams from all over the U.S.

The Rapids will come to London to use Arsenal’s facilities for six days while they continue training ahead of the MLS season which starts in April.

Not exactly earth shattering, but I do see this as a positive move by both clubs. Arsenal get an opening into the American market. Colorado get a link with one of the world’s richest and most famous clubs. MLS fans get to rest easy knowing that there won’t be another faux European nickname in the league, for now at least.

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Category: English Premier League, MLS

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SWRL

This would be a good time to bandwagon this type of partnerships for teams like Blackburn and Reading who already have peaked interest from this side of the atlantic with US players in their 1st string. Viva an MLS upgrade and homogenized soccer culture.
Connor

Hmm. That's very interesting and cool!
Sam

Their shirts can be yellow and lime green for all I care, I'm just glad they're still the Rapids.
Wes

Odd that they chose colors associated with West Ham and Aston Villa.
Peter

Cool. I like the Rapids name. I wonder if this means Arsenal will do a preseason tour now.